Two businessmen have been reportedly shot dead by after gunmen invaded Igbe-Lara community, in the Igbogbo-Bayeku Local Council Development Area, Ikorodu, Lagos State on Sunday, December 6.

According to reports, the men were killed around 4pm when the gunmen numbering about 15, armed with sophisticated weapons stormed the Igbe-Lara bus stop and opened fire on people.

One of the victims identified as Olanrewaju Olamiposi Omobolaji, aka Excel, was gunned down inside a pub, Garden Bar while a yet-to-be identified man was shot dead in front of a leisure centre, Dre Bar.

A resident said some other residents sustained bullet wounds during the attack.

“The assailants stormed the area in two vehicles and shot continuously. A lot of people were wounded and two people were killed at different locations . The people who perpetrated the crime were about 15 in number,”

The resident said.

“They came with sophisticated weapons. There was no sign that they had a target because the moment they got to the Igbe- Lara Junction, they opened fire and kept shooting as they entered into the inner street leading to the Garden Bar. While shooting, they drove past the bar and went down the road.

“It was when they were returning that they shot one of the customers, Olanrewaju Omobolaji , in the head inside the Garden Bar. He died on the spot.

“Later, we gathered that another man who sold dogs close to the Dre Bar, on the Igbe- Ginti Road, was also shot dead at the front of the bar.”

Another resident, Seyi Ismaila, while lamenting the insecurity in the area, said everywhere was tense when the hoodlums invaded the area around 4pm.

He noted that it was not the first time shooting incidents would happen in the community.

“Landlords, residents, business owners are tired of the insecurity in the community. Sometimes, you see cultists moving around with guns. We have had a series of shooting incidents involving cultists in this community and we are tired.

He said to PUNCH that, “The police should be able to trace the people that came to the community, killed two people and injured others. The community was very peaceful before, but at the moment, we are scared and we are no longer safe because of the activities of these cultists. We want law enforcement agencies to deploy policemen in the area to protect lives and property in Igbe-Lara.”

However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said only one person was killed, adding that the state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, had ordered the Area Commander to beef up security in the area.

Adejobi said, “The incident happened opposite Dre Bar, in Olomitutu Junction, Igbe. A man was shot dead opposite the bar and policemen from Ijede division were deployed in the area. We don’t have any record of another death in the area. But from observation, apart from cultists, we know some boys usually come together in the name of gangsterism and cause problems.

“Most of these gang members are young and into hard drugs, so, when they are on drugs, they misbehave. But the Commissioner of Police had a meeting with the Area Commander to beef up security and normalcy has been restored.”